The ultrastructure of the mucosa of the eustachian tube was studied in four temporal bones showing tympanosclerosis, cholesteatoma, otitic meningitis and a grafted tympanic membrane (tympanoplasty). The mucosa of tube was abnormal in the four cases confirming the relationship between the state of the eustachian tube and the inflammatory process in the middle ear. The observed abnormalities included: ciliary loss, abnormal ciliary morphology and motility, oedema of the microvilli, hyperplasia of the goblet cells and the seromucinous acini, desquamation of the non-ciliated cells and appearance of mast cells in the lamina propria of the tube. Ciliary changes were the most frequent abnormalities and the morphological changes, in general, were fewest in the case of healed tympanoplasty. The pathophysiology of the morphological changes was discussed and correlated with the disease in the middle ear.

Cystic hygroma of the parotid gland is an uncommon benign congenital neoplasm that presents as an asymptomatic soft fluctuant mass. Cervical ultrasonography, computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used to assess the size and extent of the lesion and to assist in planning the surgical approach. Ultrasonography may demonstrate a multilocular cystic mass containing septa of variable thicknesses. Extension of the mass into deeper structures is more accurately assessed by CT or MRI. A CT scan may show thin-walled cystic masses filled with material of density close to that of water. The use of contrast medium can demonstrate the relationship of the lesion to the surrounding structures. Magnetic resonance imaging is superior to CT in defining the nature and extent of the lesion.

Adult T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma (ATLL) is a new type of T-cell malignancy which has an adult onset, a rapidly progressive terminal course and a clustering at patients' birthplaces in southeast Japan and the Caribbean. We report the clinical features of three cases of ATLL in Waldeyer's ring, which has been rarely reported in the literature. The patients complained of throat pain and lump in the neck. They received combination chemotherapy, but all died within a year of first noticing the symptoms.

A rare undifferentiated carcinoma with lymphoid stroma (UCLS) of the parotid gland is described in a white Turkish patient. The raised serum IgG to Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen suggests a causal relationship between Epstein-Barr virus and this type of salivary gland carcinoma. Some clinical features are briefly reviewed.

We report one case of extensive and two of partial pneumatization of the uncinate process from a consecutive series of 250 CT scans of the paranasal sinuses. The CT findings are illustrated and the literature reviewed.

The finding of granulomata in nasal polyps is rare. In this report we describe a case with necrotizing granulomata occurring after surgery. The differential diagnosis of such a finding is discussed.

In order to test the clinical and prognostic significance of flow cytometrically assessed DNA content in minor salivary gland tumours we evaluated 75 neoplasms of the palate, 55 of which were carcinomas. Benign neoplasms were exclusively DNA diploid with low S-phase fractions while 22 per cent of malignant tumours manifested a DNA aneuploidy and 23.5 per cent high S-phase fractions (>5 per cent). Significant statistical correlations between DNA content and tumour size, histological grade, lymph node metastasis and lethality were observed. Our findings suggest a potentially important role for flow-cytometry in the evaluation of these neoplasms.

A case is presented of a patient undergoing pre-operative embolization of a glomus tumour who developed a facial palsy one hour after embolization. At the time of surgery it was found to be due to the embolization material (polyvinyl alcohol foam) blocking the stylomastoid artery. The blood supply of glomus tumours and the variations in the blood supply of the facial nerve are discussed.

A female infant nine months of age presented with a bilobed swelling at the base of her tongue. Histological examination showed it to be a hamartoma of the tongue. Lingual hamartomas are rare. There are fifteen case reports of lingual hamartoma in the world literature. Our case is presented and the previous case reports are reviewed.

Cowden's disease is a rare predominantly inherited disease, characterized bymucocutaneous lesions, gastrointestinal polyposis and benign or malignant thyroid and breast tumours. The report deals with a typical case of this disease with emphasis on its importance forotolaryngologists.